Trimming attachment for sewing machines



April 16, 1935. A. H. was 1,997,617

I TRIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5. 1954 40 INVEN TOR.

Albert Wez's.

BY 3 5'3 4+ 38 g ATTORNEYIZ' Patented Apr. It 1935 I r I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i TRIIVILIING ATTACHMENT FOB SEWING MACHINES Albert 11. Weis, Nyack, N. Y., assignor to Metropolitan *Sewing Machine Corporation, Nyack,

N. Y., a. corporation of Delaware Application February 5, 1934, Serial No. 709,741

29 Claims. (01. 112124) This invention relates to a detachable trimadvantages are obtained on some classes of work. ming attachment for sewing machines which In the present improvement I have eliminated may be applied to any well-known make of mathe necessity of providing a lower. roll or roller chine, it being illustrated, however, as applied co-operating with the rotary trimmer and, coni to awell-known lock stitch machine in which the sequently, have made it practicable to set the 5 stitch is made with a needle and a bobbin thread cutter slightly in advance or in the rear of the or with a plurality of needles and a bobbin thread. needle and when set'with its axis intersecting the The object of this invention is the provision of plane of the needle it will not interfere with its an improved trimming attachment for producing use to trim curved or irregular surfaces and, a pinked edge adjacent the seam whereby the therefore, it is not confined to straight-away 10 stitched article may have its edges pinked to pret t vent raveling of the threads of the trimmed edge, In the drawing accompanying and forming a and which trimming attachment is so mounted par of thi sp c fi io 1 is n end elevathat it can be quickly attached to or detached tien 0f SO much Of a Well-known Wilcox and from the machine to permit the machine to be Gibbs sewing ma e as it s c a y t illus- 15 used for plain stitching, the primary object of trate herein, a W is P 'O trimming the invention being to provide a simple, readily attachment pp theretoattachable and inexpensive trimming mechanism 2 is a t vi w o t t m n atta hm nt.

employing a rotary cutter and improved driving Fig. 3 is a detail view of the adjustable driving means effective to operate the cutter at high connection to the cutter Shaft. 20

speed under varying adjustments of the cutter 4 is a detail View Of the threat p a a and, at the same time, avoid the use of a lower its hardened insert P roll or roller co-operating with the cutter. 5 is a Pa y sectional View f the same .A further object of the invention is the proparts with the Cutter in Position, a d v vision of improved positive acting means for 6 isaVieW 0f the positively acting p s e 25 regulating the pressure of the cutter on the work regulating means for the Cutterthereby eliminating the use of springs, and which Similar characters of reference indicate corremeans includes means for automatically preventpe Parts in the Several W ing too much pressure being applied to the cutter Before explaining in detail the present p v and the consequent damage thereto.

In the manufacture of dresses a d i l have it understood that the invention is not limarticles, it is sometimes required that an operited to the details of construction and arrangeator do the entire work of making a garment, ment of parts illustrated the accompanying sewing the pieces together, stitching on the trim, drawing since the invention is capable of other such as lace, binding, piping, cording and other embodiments, d that the phraseelegy W c I 5 stitching such as sewing in pleats, tucks or folds mpl s r th pu p s of d s r pti n a d n t frequently required by the unlimited variations of limitationin designs and styles of the respective factories The sewing machine illustrated has the usual where such machines are used. To meet this bed i, trunk 2 and top arm 3 for the upper shaft ment and mode of operation thereof, I desire to 30 requirement, it is essential that the feeding and 4 which is mounted in bearings and operates in 40 trimming memberbe detachable fromthe mahe us A hand and belt Wheel is located chine quickly and without difiiculty. at the rear end and at the front end the machine In addition to this ready detachability, I have has a rotary take-up 5 for the needle thread. The

provided an improved trimming mechanism havhead of the machine carries the usual presser bar ing a rotary cutter and so constructed that it t a d Dresser feet The needle 3 eeeets With 45 can be operated from the needle bar at high speed a rotary hook and bobbin 9 to make the welland in which the stroke of the driving mechanism known lock stitch. The needle is carried by the for the cutter can be varied so that the moveneedle bar it having a chuck it for clamping the ment of the cutter will coincide with the feed needle. A stud screw it carried by the chuck opstroke of the feeding mechanism according to the crates in the forked end M of a lever M secured 50 desired length of stitch and in which the cutter at 415 to a rock shaft it supported fo rocking may be shifted toward and from the needle for movement in a tubular shaft IT. making narrow or wide seams and also positioned. This tubular shaft carries a swingable bracket with its axis ahead of or in the rear of the neel9 and this bracket is supported by bearings 20 35 die whereby, as the cutter acts as a feed, certain and 2! on the shaft ill. The trimmer supporting bracket 22, through a part of which extending between the bearings 28 and 2| the tubular shaft also passes and is secured thereto at I8, is secured to the bed of the machine by a clamping bolt 23 which may be provided with either hex head or a wing nut 24 for quick removal from the machine or reattaching it to the machine and by providing an elongated slot 23 for the bolt 23, the trimmer V supporting bracket 22 and its cutter may be adjusted back and forth relative to the needle. The needle bar operated rock shaft l6 has secured to its'opposite end 25, a lever arm 26. This lever arm has an elongated slot. 21 in the free end thereof for the reception of an adjustable stud 28, see Figs. 2 and 3, projecting into a slot 29 of a lever 30, being clamped in position by a wing 'of the swinging bracket l9.

Between the bearings 34 and 35 is an adjusting collar 36 secured to the trimmer shaft 33. By loosening this collar and the clutch 32, the shaft may be shifted endwise in the hearings to make wide or narrow seams.

The left hand end of the shaft 33 is provided with a flange 31 against which is fixed in a suitable manner a pinking or design rotary cutter 38 operating close to the line of stitching to sever the goods with a zig-zag or other design edge. This cutter 38 is brought into cutting relation with the top surface 39 of a hardened steel insert or anvil 40 provided with dove-tailed edges 4| to fit into a dove-tailed recess 42 of a throat plate 43. The dove-tailed recess extends part way through the thickness of the metal of the throat plate. The throat plate is seated in a milled recess of the bed plate I and is rigidly supported, being held in place by screws 44. This throat plate, in working position accommodates a feed dog 45 which operates through the openings 46 to feed the work. The throat plate also has one or more needle holes 41 for free passage of the needle to form the stitches.

The dove-tailed slot for the hardened insert is made'with a round cutter and this provides a stop surface as at 48 to prevent the insert from moving inward against the feed 45. The opposite edge comes fiush with the edge 49 of the throat plate where it rests against the casting of the bed of the machine which thus prevents movement of the insert in that direction. While the dove-tailed hardened insert is easily removed after the throat plate is takenoff the machine, yet it cannot shift in any direction while in work ing position on the machine.

A rotary cutter of suitable design 38 is shown in working position against the hardened insert 48 in-Fig. 5.

A work guide 50, see Fig. 1, is secured'to the top of the bed of the machine in advance of the trimmer for conveniently guiding the work and regulating the amount to be trimmed off from the edge thereof,

T0 rigidly and positively support the cutter 38 to co-operate with the hardened insert 43, the supporting bracket 22 has an overhanging arm 5|, the end of which is provided with an adjusting screw 52, see Fig. 6, threaded into the arm I and secured thereto by a set screw 5|. This a vertical plunger or pin 53 lowely mounted to slide up and down in the screw when not fastened thereto. It is of suitable diameter and length to permit the bottom end to rest on top of the bearing 35 carrying the cutter shaft and thus positively holds the cutter 38 in cutting position on the hardened insert 40.. The pin 53 is secured to the adjustable hollow screw 52 by a shearable pin or cotter pin 54 and to prevent undue pressure being applied to the cutter 38, a size of cotter pin is selected that will shear when too much pressure is applied to the cutter and thus prevent damage to the rotary cutter 38. By adjusting the screw 52 in the bracket arm 5| the pin is shifted to regulate the pressure on the cutter thereby doing away with the use of springs for this purpose.

In the application of this improvement to any of the well-known sewing machines, it is merely necessary to decide on the exact location of the rotary cutter with respect to the needle and provide holes for the clamping screw 24, and arrange the needle bar operated lever l4 so that its slotted end will engage the screw stud I2. 'This lever I4 rocks the shaft l6 and gives movement to the '25 lever arms 28 and 38 of the intermittent clutch 3l--32 secured to the cutter shaft 33 which thus has a step by step rotary movement imparted thereto in bearings 34 and. and so gives a step by step rotary movement to the pinking cutter 38. To change the extent of movement of the cutter to coincide with the feed stroke for giving the desired length of stitch, the stud 28 may be adjusted in the slots of the lever arms 26 and 33 so that the movement of the cutter 38 will advance the work being trimmed equal to the step by step advancement of the four-motion feed 45.

By reason of the fact that in this improvement the cutter co-operates with a hardened plate so that a lower co-operating roll or roller is eliminated, located in proximity to the needle and looper or loop taker, the cutter can be set aheadof or in the rear of the needle and without interfering with its proper work. When located in advance of the needle and given a stroke greater than the stroke of the four-motion feed, it would have a gathering effect to ruilie or shirr the work as it trims in advance of the stitching and WhenJocated in the rear of the needle it would operate as a puller feed as it trims the work.

After many practical demonstrations over a I considerable period of time, it has been found that this improved trimmer operates highly satisfactorily without a bottom roller and that there is practically no wear on the cutter or on the anvil block or insert. As a result, a number of machines have already been manufactured and marketed and this desirable result, it is believed, is due to the fact that the stationary hardened block or anvil is rigidly supported and the rotary zig-zag cutter is also rigidly supported above it without any spring action'so that the rotary cutter can be adjusted to the hardened surface so as to allow no space between the two members. Consequently, anything fed between -the members will be severed with the result that adjusting screw is hollow and is provided with 01885 of work the needle, hook and bobbin or vention beyond the terms of the several claims used for trimming the edges of cloth either be-' fore or after being made into garments, that is, before or after they are stitched. Even when used without the stitching mechanism, there is quite an advantage in using the trimmer attached to a sewing machine especially when such a machine has a four-motion feed and presser foot in that, as the improved rotary zig-zag cutter also acts as a feed, better control of the work is obtained and there is less chance of damaging the garments.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the inor the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to'set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. A trimming attachment for sewing 'machines comprising a rotary trimmer, means for rotating it, a stationary'rigidly supported co-eperating hardened anvil, and means for rigidly supporting the trimmer in position to co-operate with the anvil.

2. A trimming attachment for sewing ma.- machines comprising a rotary trimmer, means for rotating it, a stationary rigidly supported cooperating hardened anvil, means for rigidly sup-- porting the trimmer in position to co-operate with the anvil, and. means for positively regulating the pressure of the trimmer.

3. A trimming attachment for sewing machines comprising a rotary trimmer, means for rotating it,- a stationary rigidly supported co-operating hardened anvil, means for rigidly supporting the trimmer in position to co-operate with the anvil, and means for positively regulating the pressure of the trimmer and including means for automatically relieving the pressure on the trimmer when the pressure is excessive.

4. A trinmiing attachment for sewing machines comprising a. rotary trimmer, means for rotating it, a stationary rigidly supported co-operating hardened anvil, means for rigidly supporting the trimmer in position to co-operate with the anvil, and adjustable means for positively regulating the pressure on the trimmer and including shearable means for automatically releasing the pressure on the trimmer when the pressure is excessive.

5. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a throat plate and comprising a rotary trimmer, means for rotating it, a stationary rigidly supported co-operating hardened anvil carried by the throat plate, and means for rigidly anvil and also located in proximity to the needle, and means for rotating the cutter.

'7. A trimming attachment adapted for attachment to the bed of a sewing machine having stitching elements including'a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried by the bed in proximity to the path of the needle, a rotary cutter co-operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle, means for rotating the cutter, and means for regulating the pressure of the cutter relative to the 82 A trimming attachment adapted for attachment to the bed of a sewing machine having stitching elements including a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried bythe bed in proximity to the path of the needle, a rotary cutter co-operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle,

means for rotating the cutter, and means for regulating the stroke of the cutter according to the length of the stitch.

9. A trimming attachment adapted forattachment to the bed of a sewing machine having stitching elements including a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried by the bed in proximity to the path of the needle,' a rotary cutter co-operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle, means for rotating the cutter, and springless means for adjusting and positively regulating the pressure of the cutter relative to the anvil.

10. A trimming attachment adapted for attachment to the bed of a sewing machine having a reciprocating part and a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried by the bed in proximity to the path of the needle, a rotary cutter co-operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle, and means connected with the reciprocating part for rotating the cutter.

11. A trimming ,attachment adapted forattachment to thebed of a sewing machine having stitching element including a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried by the bed in proximity to the path of the needle, a rotary cutter co-operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle and adjustable toward and from the needle to vary the width of the trimmed portion, means for rotating the cutter, and means effective to secure the .cutter in any of its adjusted positions.

12. A trimming attachment adapted for attachment to the bed of a sewing machine having stitching elements including a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried by the bed in proximity to the path of the needle, a rotary cutterco operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle and adjustable toward the front or rear of the needle, means for rotating the cutter, and means efiective to secure the cutter in any of its adjusted positions 13. A trimming attachment adapted for attachment to the bed of a sewing machine having stitching elements including a needle and comprising a hardened stationary anvil block carried by the bed in proximity to the path of the needle, a rotary cutter co-operating with the anvil and also located in proximity to the needle and adjustable toward and from the needle to vary the width of the trimmed portion and also adjustable toward the front .or rear of the needle, means for rotating the cutter, andmeans for securing the cutter in any of its adjusted positions.

14. A trimming attachment for sewing machines comprising a supporting bracket, a bracket shiftable relative thereto, a rotary cutter carried by said shiftable bracket, means for rotating the cutter, means carried by the supporting bracket for regulating the pressure on the cutter, and stationary rigid means below and co-operating with said cutter.

15. A trimming attachment for sewing inachines comprising a supporting bracket, a bracket shiftable relative thereto, a rotary cutter carried by said shiftable bracket, means for rotating the cutter, and means carried by the supporting bracket for regulating the pressure on the cutter and comprising a rotating screw, and a pin carried thereby and fastened to said screw.

16. A trimming attachment for sewing machines comprising a supporting bracket, a bracket shiftable relative thereto, a rotary cutter carried by said shiftable bracket, means for rotating the cutter, and means carried by the supporting bracket for regulating the pressure on the cutter and comprising a rotating screw and a pin carried thereby and fastened to said screw by shearable means.

17. A trimming attachment for sewing machines comprising a rotary trimmer, means for rotating it, and means for regulating the pressure of the trimmer and comprising a positively acting adjustable means automatically releasable when the pressure is'excessive.

18. A trimming attachment for sewing machines comprising a rotary trimmer, means for' rotating it, and means for regulating the pressure of the trimmer and comprising a positively acting adjustable means automatically releasable when the pressure is excessive and comprising an adjustable threaded member, a pin loose therein, and shearable means connecting the pin and threaded member.

19. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer located in proximity to the needle at one side thereof, a shaft supporting said trimmer, means connected with the needle bar,

a rock shaft connected to said means, and means connecting said rock shaft and trimmer shaft for rotating the trimmer shaft.

20. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer located in proximity to the needle at one side thereof, a shaft supporting said trimmer, means connected with the needle bar, a rock shaft connected to said means, and means connecting said rock shaft and trimmer shaft for rotating the trimmer shaft step by step.

21. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer located in proximity to the needle at one side thereof, a shaft supporting said trimmer, means connected with the needle bar, a rock shaft connected to said means, and adjustable means connecting said rock shaft and trimmer shaft for rotating the trimmer shaft.

22. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having 'a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer located in proximity to the needle at one side thereof, a stationary rigidly supported hardened anvil located in proximity to the needle, means for rigidly supporting the trimmer in position to co-operate with the anvil, a rotary shaft supporting said trimmer, means'conn'ected with the needle bar, a rock shaft connected to said means, and means connecting said rock shaft and trimmer shaft for rotating the trimmer shaft.

23. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer located in proximity to the needle at one side thereof, a stationary rigidly supported hardenedanvil located in proximity to the needle, means for rigidly supporting the trimmer in position to co-operate with the anvil, a rotary shaft supporting said trimmer, means connected with the needle bar, a rock shaft connected to said means, meansconnecting said rock shaft and trimmer shaft for rotating the trimmer shaft, and means for positively regulating the pressure on the trimmer.

24. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar and comprising a supporting bracket, a bracket swingable relative thereto, a rotary trimmer located in proximity to the needle at one side thereof, a shaft supporting it and carried by theswingable bracket, means connected with the needle bar, a rock shaft con- .nected with said means and supported by the supporting bracket, means connecting said rock shaft and trimmer shaft for rotatingthe latter, a stationary rigidly supported hardened anvil located in proximity to the needle and co-operating with said trimmer, and means for regulating the pressure on the trimmer relative to the anvil.

'25. A trimming attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar and comprising a supporting bracket, a swinging bracket, a pair of parallelly located shafts, one carried by the swinging bracket and the other extending through both of said brackets, a rotary cutter carried by the shaft of the swinging bracket, means for rotating said cutter shaft from the other shaft, and means connected with the needle bar for actuating the shaft extending through both of said brackets.

26. In a sewing machine having a presser foot and a four-motion feed, a rotary trimmer constructed to operate as a feed in co-operation with the four-motion feed, means for rotating it, and means for acfiusting the trimmer in line with the feeding operation of the four-motion feed to the front or rear of the needle.

27. In a sewing machine having a bed having a stationary hardened surface, a presser foot and a four-motion feed, a rotary trimmer co-operat ing with the hardened surface, means for operating it, and means for adjusting the trimmer in line with the feed to the front or rear of the needie.

28. A trimming attachment adapted for use with a sewing machine having stitching mechanism including a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer, means for operating it, a stationary hardened surface co-operating with the trimmer, and means for adjusting the trimmer back and fourth toward the rear or front of the needle bar.

29. A trimming attachment adapted for use with a sewing machine having stitching mechanism including a needle bar and comprising a rotary trimmer, means for operatingit, a stationary hardened surface co-operating with the trimmer, means for adjusting the trimmer back and forth toward the rear or front of the needle bar, and means for adjusting the trimmer transversely to said first adjustment.

ALBERT H. WEIS. 

